The suspect allegedly stole a homeland security Christie Noem bag while eating with his family at a burger restaurant on Easter Sunday, was an illegal immigrant for the crime on Sunday, authorities said.
Matt McCool, a special agent in charge of the Secret Service Washington Field Office; announcement On Sunday, agents from the Secret Service, working closely with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., arrested the suspect who was believed to have stolen Noem’s bag. “The defendant was taken into custody in the District of Columbia without incident,” McCourt said.
The suspect was a “serial criminal” but did not appear to target NOEM because of her or status, like a DHS secretary, McCool added. According to McCool, the suspect will face charges in federal court.
“This individual is a career criminal who has been illegally in our country for years,” Noem said. post X would like to thank Secret Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other law enforcement agencies investigating the theft that occurred on April 20th at Capital Burger. The restaurant is located a mile from the White House.
Neither Noem nor McCool appointed suspects, but the New York Post cites law enforcement sources – It will be identified The suspect is Mario Bustamante Riva (49) of Santiago, Chile. (Related: Kristi Noem was stolen thousands of cash and other important items at Easter restaurants)
Destruction: Chilean Illegal Immigrant and Career Detective Mario Bustamante Riva, 49, has been identified as suspect accused of stolen wallet @sec_noem Over Easter weekend, sources will share the post.
Bustamante-Leiva is considered part of a massive East Coast robbery… pic.twitter.com/gqmjcygiww
– Jenniestaer🎗️ (@jenniestaer) April 27, 2025
“D.C. law enforcement has confirmed that the man accused of stealing DHSSec. Noem’s Purse is Mario Bustamante Leiva. [sic]”The Flame National Correspondent Julio Rosas Posted.
Ed Martin, a US lawyer for the District of Columbia, told NBC News by phone that Bustamante-Leiva was in the country illegally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhfwp_d9tni
Bustamante-Leiva is suspected of being a masked man who walked into a restaurant. According to NBC News, he dragged Noem’s wallet towards him. According to the outlet, he passed the Secret Service agent on his way out.
“This wasn’t an amateur. It was a person, a thief and I knew how to do this. I could see how he scouted the room,” Martin said. I said Outlet.
The stolen item was a $4,400 Gucci bag lying on the ground next to Noem, and included a $600 Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet and $3,000 in cash. post.
It also included NOEM’s DHS access badge, her passport, various credit cards, blank checks, a set of keys, and her driver’s license, NBC News reported.
Noem said on Wednesday that he felt his wallet was moving from his feet with Podcaster Editor-in-Chief Vince Coglianese.
“I thought it was my grandson who was kicking my legs, but it was done very professionally,” Noem reportedly added to the “Vins” podcast.
Law enforcement was still sought a second suspect for theft of Noem’s property, Martin told NBC News.
Bustamante-Leiva was one of the most prolific thieves in London, England. In 2015, he carried out five months of theft, including a comprehensive 21,000 pound (nearly $28,000) mobile phone, wallet and computer stealing, and was then imprisoned there. It has been reported.
Once, he stole a bag containing the passports and plane boarding passes for the whole family, and in another example, he boldly stole a woman’s handbag when she chatted with a friend.
“You are dishonest to your fingertips,” the judge told Bustamante Riva in his ruling in London.
“Unfortunately, so many families in this country have been victims of crime. That’s why President Trump works every day to make America safe and drive these criminals out of our streets,” Noem said.
“All I can tell you is that he won’t come back to the streets of America,” Martin told NBC News about the suspect.
